


but for today, we can play

by SpearWorks



Series: we were written as tragedies (but the climax has already passed) [2]
Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Post-Canon, They have trauma but they’re healing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-12 18:03:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29763510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpearWorks/pseuds/SpearWorks
Summary: There’s a lot of things that Shuichi can resent, but he’s just thankful that he still has them.
Relationships: Harukawa Maki & Saihara Shuichi & Yumeno Himiko
Series: we were written as tragedies (but the climax has already passed) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2187555
Kudos: 7





	but for today, we can play

Shuichi studies the board game with a frown. He isn’t certain of what move to make. Honestly, he’s not even certain of who is winning. The three of them had found the game—probably some knockoff if the quality is any indication—while buying groceries. 

They were in a rush, never wanting to be seen in public, but Himiko had spotted it, and her eyes lit up in a way that Shuichi hasn’t seen in a while. He couldn’t find it within himself to turn her down, and Maki wasn’t any different. It’s not like money was an issue. Not after the survivor’s prize that Danganronpa gave them all.

Currently though, Himiko’s pouting while fidgeting with her game pieces. None of them may know who’s winning, but the fact that she’s in last place seems pretty clear. Shuichi had tried going easy on her, but the glare he received quickly made him stop. Maki had called him spineless, but she was slightly smiling, so Shuichi considered it a win overall.

“This game doesn’t even make any sense,” he finally says, “All the possible moves that I can make are illegal according to the rules. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do at this point…”

“Give up?” Maki suggests with a smirk. She’s rather competitive when it comes to any type of game. Shuichi doesn’t know why that surprised him the first time that he saw it.

Himiko’s head pops up from where she was making her plastic unicorn and knight fight each other, “A strange game, the only winning move is not to play.”

Shuichi blinks, “Did you just quote WarGames?”

“What’s that?” Himiko asks, before apparently deciding that she didn’t care, and returning back to messing around with her game pieces.

Maki rolls her eyes, before looking at the board in order to plan for her next move. After a few moments, she looks up, “Okay, even if Shuichi does manage something. I’m pretty sure anything I can do wouldn’t be legal either.”

“That means I win!” Himiko cheers, suddenly full of energy at the prospect. She tosses up the beanie on her head in a move rather similar to what she used to do with her witch hat. 

Shuichi wonders if she was specifically wearing it as a way to retain her old habits while still distancing herself from the killing game. They had all changed their wardrobe almost immediately after they escaped Danganronpa. It was too recognizable—and it carried too many painful memories. 

“Isn’t that supposed to be your player piece?” Maki dryly points out while gesturing to the knight that Himiko has clutched in one hand. “Where are you even supposed to be on the board?”

Himiko looks over the game for a few minutes while Maki and Shuichi stay silent. Eventually she pulls down the beanie over one eye, “I...possibly don’t remember where I was.”

Shuichi laughs, “Well then, I think we should probably pack this up. We can add it to the collection of games that we only play once.” This is hardly the first time that Himiko picked a game for them to bring home, but Shuichi doesn’t mind.

They have an unspoken rule that if one of them wants something, they just have to point it out. Shuichi and Maki tend to prefer movies. They have had quite a few movie nights with varying results.

_(A few weeks after the killing game, Shuichi decided on what seemed like a cheesy action movie. It was entertaining, until it wasn’t. Someone got into a choke hold, and while Shuichi could hear the rasping breaths just fine, all he could see was Kaede grasping at her throat and Miu’s terrified eyes._

_He only snapped back to reality when Maki touched his shoulder gently. He looked past her concerned gaze, instead focusing on how Himiko stared unblinkingly at the screen. Then, Maki withdrew her hand, and Shuichi saw that it was shaking just ever so slightly._

_Somehow, while watching the two girls who had seen far too much death and suffering, Shuichi had never hated Danganronpa so much)._

They finished putting away the game pretty quickly after that. Despite Himiko’s muttering and Maki’s sighs, he knows them well enough to know that they treasure these moments as much as he does.

It’s the closest thing they have to normal. 

This life that they made for themselves might be the only thing that they can truly call their own. Their past was manufactured, and though it remains part of who they are, there’s still something special about knowing his decisions are finally his own.

_(They all have people that they want to make proud. Perhaps living every day for themselves is the way that they can do that)._

**Author's Note:**

> This survivor trio has stole my heart and they don’t want to give it back.


End file.
